Microsoft Office

Part V
Analyzing Data with Excel
FIGURE 36.2
How a one-input data table is set up.
Not used
Formulas, or
references to
formula cells
Values of the single input cell
You can place the data table anywhere in a worksheet. The left column contains various values for the single
input cell. The top row contains references to formulas located elsewhere in the worksheet. You can use a
single formula reference or any number of formula references. The upper-left cell of the table remains
empty. Excel calculates the values that result from each value of the input cell and places them under each
formula reference.
This example uses the mortgage loan worksheet from earlier in the chapter (see “A What-If Example”). The
goal of this exercise is to create a data table that shows the values of the four formula cells (loan amount,
monthly payment, total payments, and total interest) for various interest rates ranging from 6 to 8 percent,
in 0.25-percent increments.
ON the CD-ROM
This workbook is available on the companion CD-ROM. The file is named mortgage loan data
table.xlsx.
Figure 36.3 shows the setup for the data table area. Row 3 consists of references to the formulas in the
worksheet. For example, cell F3 contains the formula =C10, and cell G3 contains the formula =C11.
Column E contains the values of the single input cell (interest rate) that Excel will use in the table.
To create the table, select the data table range (in this case, E3:I12) and then choose Data ➪ Data Tools ➪
What-If Analysis ➪ Data Table. Excel displays the Data Table dialog box, shown in Figure 36.4.
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